Japan’s bear problem could take a decade to solve, wildlife expert says

Japan may need a decade to curb a growing number of bear encounters as the animals venture into hiking trails, rural communities and U.S. military bases. Sightings of Japanese black bears, such as this adult seen in May 2020, are increasingly common on Honshu, the largest of Japan's four main islands, and Shikoku, the smallest. (Japan Environment Ministry) TOKYO — Japan may need five to 10 years to curb a growing number of bear encounters as the animals venture onto hiking trails, into rural communities and even onto U.S. military bases, according to a local wildlife expert. Shrinking rural populations, abandoned farmland and poor food supplies are bringing bears into closer contact with people, said Shinsuke Koike, a professor at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.

Koike said Japan needs to restore buffer zones between communities and bear habitats and develop a workforce trained in long-term wildlife management. “It won’t be resolved within a short span of one or two years; it will need at least five to 10 years,” he said during an Oct. 23 briefing at Foreign Press Center Japan in Tokyo. More than 50,000 bear sightings were recorded nationwide in fiscal 2025, which ended March 31, according to Japan’s Environment Ministry. Bear attacks killed 13 people and injured 225 during that period, prompting an unusual deployment of